Turkeys aren’t the only ones flying this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time of year when people from all over the country join together with friends and family for a time of thankfulness and food. For most reuniting with relatives requires traveling for the holiday, whether it’s just traveling across town, another city, or booking a flight half-way across the country.

The most common assumption is that Christmas is the most traveled holiday, however that is incorrect. During the Thanksgiving travel period, the number of long distance trips, a destination 50 miles or more away, increases by 54 percent, which is 31 percent higher than the Christmas season, according to the United States Department of Transportation. The most common form of transportation to make these long distance travels is by car, at 91 percent. Transportation by use of planes is only a whopping 6 percent over the Thanksgiving season.

Blue and Gold ran a poll including 75 Findlay High School students to see travel patterns and percentages at our very own school. 60 percent of student travel to their family for

Thanksgiving and the other remaining 40 percent of students’ family travels to them. The majority of students who travel, at 75 percent, use cars as their transportation. While the other 25 percent travel by plane.

“My whole family flies to Maryland, Virginia to meet with my grandparents on Thanksgiving. Some of my relatives from Texas also meets us there. My family prefers flying because it’s quick and easy. The flight there only takes two hours.” Senior, Drake Heidepriem said.

Contrasting, Junior, Johnna Richter’s family prefers their long distance traveling to be done by car over the holiday season.

“Every year my intermediate family and I travel by car to Knoxville, Tennessee for Thanksgiving at my great aunt’s house. I love Thanksgiving because it’s one time of the year when I can see all my family.” Richter said.

For many like Richter, Thanksgiving is one of the few times that everyone in their family gets together. However, not everyone believes the travel is necessary. It’s not about how far you go, it’s about where you call home.

“I spend Thanksgiving at home with my mom and every year she makes a great meal and its really small and quaint but I love it.” Senior, Jordan Sabo said.

While the majority of people may travel during Thanksgiving, at the end of the day it’s not where you’re at, but who you’re with. Thanksgiving may commercially be about traveling, but for most it’s just a time to enjoy what you have, whether you have to travel to them or not.